Millennium Line - Broadway Extension: Planning & Pre-Construction

[deasine]

LOL. Fine.

[CBeats]

Originally Posted by idunno

TransLink looks at rapid transit options for Broadway corridor

Dobo said it takes about three weeks to build the rails for a tram and four years for an underground SkyTrain. “A light, modern European style tram is the way to go,” she said.

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Trans...ons+Broadway+corridor/2940318/story.html

3 weeks? Ha!

That's all I have to say.

[mr.x]

This one is a classic:


The current diesel bus rapid transit is a disgrace and needs to be shutdown immediately. Only about 20% of the current 30,000 B-Line riders are "choice" riders and might drive if the B-Lines were not available. The other 80% are "captive" riders and are stuck on transit. They would take a horse and buggy if that is all that TransLink provided. Toxic and GHG emissions would drop dramatically, if we shutdown the B-Lines and simply allowed the 6,000 students who might drive, drive, because the B-Lines have a very low overall utilization rate and many B-Lines return empty to Commercial Drive during morning peak hours and conversely empty in late evening hours to UBC.

Any attempt to extend rapid transit to UBC is filled with a host of environmental and social issues (remember Cambie Street?) and is unaffordable. TransLink must tax non-transit users to spend billions of dollars to essentially remove, maybe 6,000 cars from the roads, if that, considering that some students car pool. Stupid. I cannot believe that the people behind it all have the nerve to even attempt to do it.

A much more obvious alternative to ripping up Broadway and diverting the stinking B-Lines to W 16th Avenue and W 4th Avenue for the next three to five years, causing much heart ache, is to use the Pacific Ocean which connects False Creek and UBC to run a ferry service with all the amenities for a comfortable 20 minute cruise to and from UBC. Duh?

Did anyone at TransLink think of that? How much would it cost? What do you do all day at TransLink, dick around in meetings without thinking? We could only save a few billion of dollars and operate the ferry service in less than one year instead of studying the rapid transit line for another 10 years. TransLink you are idiots who don’t deserve to be running transit in this city and are only in it to build a self-serving transit system to pay your extravagant salaries. Get lost and don’t bother saying goodbye.


http://www.straight.com/poll/what-kind-rapid-transit-do-you-want-see-along-broadway




This is so entertaining...and it's good to see that the masses (from what I can see in blogs and news article comment sections) are finally coming out and supporting SkyTrain.

[deasine]

I'm taking a break from studying here, I think people are a little too ahead of themselves on this. Keep in mind this is the first discussion and the different options being considered on the table are just ideas. Some of them good, some of them not so much, but whatever is the case, all and potentially more of these options will be under further review for the second consultation phase, and until then, there will be recommendations made.

And getting mad on TransLink on this one isn't right. This is the first time TransLink has made consultations available in such a great way, reaching out via TransLink forums, social media, Buzzer Blog, and allowing group discussions are free flowing ideas to be made and presented at workshops. I believe it's a great start because it allows different stakeholders to feel as if they are connected. Yes, each group has their own personal belief on what should be done to improve the situation on Broadway (or doesn't believe the situation needs to be improved at all... figures), but these idea workshops and public consultations can also be used as a form of better educating the public on the different options.

And if this keeps up, we can avoid many of the miscommunications that were present for the Canada Line (i.e. Cut-and-cover vs. bored tunnel) and hopefully keep the community and business owners excited for rapid transit development on the Broadway corridor.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by mr.x

This one is a classic:


The current diesel bus rapid transit is a disgrace and needs to be shutdown immediately. Only about 20% of the current 30,000 B-Line riders are "choice" riders and might drive if the B-Lines were not available. The other 80% are "captive" riders and are stuck on transit. They would take a horse and buggy if that is all that TransLink provided. Toxic and GHG emissions would drop dramatically, if we shutdown the B-Lines and simply allowed the 6,000 students who might drive, drive, because the B-Lines have a very low overall utilization rate and many B-Lines return empty to Commercial Drive during morning peak hours and conversely empty in late evening hours to UBC.

Any attempt to extend rapid transit to UBC is filled with a host of environmental and social issues (remember Cambie Street?) and is unaffordable. TransLink must tax non-transit users to spend billions of dollars to essentially remove, maybe 6,000 cars from the roads, if that, considering that some students car pool. Stupid. I cannot believe that the people behind it all have the nerve to even attempt to do it.

A much more obvious alternative to ripping up Broadway and diverting the stinking B-Lines to W 16th Avenue and W 4th Avenue for the next three to five years, causing much heart ache, is to use the Pacific Ocean which connects False Creek and UBC to run a ferry service with all the amenities for a comfortable 20 minute cruise to and from UBC. Duh?

Did anyone at TransLink think of that? How much would it cost? What do you do all day at TransLink, dick around in meetings without thinking? We could only save a few billion of dollars and operate the ferry service in less than one year instead of studying the rapid transit line for another 10 years. TransLink you are idiots who don’t deserve to be running transit in this city and are only in it to build a self-serving transit system to pay your extravagant salaries. Get lost and don’t bother saying goodbye.


http://www.straight.com/poll/what-kind-rapid-transit-do-you-want-see-along-broadway




This is so entertaining...and it's good to see that the masses (from what I can see in blogs and news article comment sections) are finally coming out and supporting SkyTrain.

Another example of why Nancy Regan was right when she said "Just Say No".
Too late for this person, sadly.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by CBeats

3 weeks? Ha!

That's all I have to say.

She said it would take about three weeks to build a tram line !! ?? !! ??
What has she been smoking, anyway?
Where can I get some??

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

She said it would take about three weeks to build a tram line !! ?? !! ??
What has she been smoking, anyway?
Where can I get some??

• Video Link

[Smooth]

^ I think we only need to look at the Granville Street rehabilitation to see how long street car installation might take.

[Bureaucromancer]

I HAVE seen streetcar work done that fast in Toronto, and in the US it has apparently been done as quickly with new installations, but it just doesn't apply for actual LRT. To do the work that fast, the two basic requirements seem to be that the road itself is not being reconfigured and you are only talking about a reconstruction of the two lanes involved, and that only the track depth itself needs digging. No utility relocation, no trackbed work (in Toronto it already exists where needed, and for the most part streetcars don't need much, while light rail TRAINS do).

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Smooth

^ I think we only need to look at the Granville Street rehabilitation to see how long street car installation might take.

Originally Posted by Bureaucromancer

I HAVE seen streetcar work done that fast in Toronto, and in the US it has apparently been done as quickly with new installations, but it just doesn't apply for actual LRT. To do the work that fast, the two basic requirements seem to be that the road itself is not being reconfigured and you are only talking about a reconstruction of the two lanes involved, and that only the track depth itself needs digging. No utility relocation, no trackbed work (in Toronto it already exists where needed, and for the most part streetcars don't need much, while light rail TRAINS do).

All of this points up to why the best option, not only for the present, but for the long term is, Skytrain underground (RRT) !

[mr.x]

One thing I don't understand is how there's an alternate RRT option that starts at Commercial and Broadway...that makes zero sense.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by mr.x

One thing I don't understand is how there's an alternate RRT option that starts at Commercial and Broadway...that makes zero sense.

I think that's an attempt to fork the M-Line at that point and turn the VCC area into a wasteland. Not sure why though..

Zwei is losing his mind on his blog, more than usual. Fun to see.

Regarding your earlier comment quote, B-Line not being utilized.. CLASSIC.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

She said it would take about three weeks to build a tram line !! ?? !! ??
What has she been smoking, anyway?
Where can I get some??

You missed the 420 party this year?

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Thousan...te+Vancouver/2930770/story.html?tab=PHOT

[deasine]

Originally Posted by mr.x

One thing I don't understand is how there's an alternate RRT option that starts at Commercial and Broadway...that makes zero sense.

From what I know, they are considering a separate technology, but that really defeats one of the advantages of RRT in the first place, which was to eliminate the transfer. Remember though, these are just random ideas on the table.

[Bureaucromancer]

Originally Posted by deasine

From what I know, they are considering a separate technology, but that really defeats one of the advantages of RRT in the first place, which was to eliminate the transfer. Remember though, these are just random ideas on the table.

To the point that I would probably support the combo plan with M-Line extension over a grade separated but isolated line on Broadway.

[CLC]

Seattle Komo news: Girl using cell phone hit by Link train at Othello station

http://rainiervalley.komonews.com/content/girl-using-cell-phone-hit-link-train-othello-station

I thought Zwei has said people will get out of the way with a 'ding-ding' of tram bell?

[deasine]

Interesting to note that this was located at the station platform and not the street. Really makes me wonder why was she on the tracks anyway. One thing's for sure, no one's going to be an idiot and not pay attention and walk into the SkyTrain guideway tracks =P

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by deasine

From what I know, they are considering a separate technology, but that really defeats one of the advantages of RRT in the first place, which was to eliminate the transfer. Remember though, these are just random ideas on the table.

haha, a bit too random.

[cabotp]

Originally Posted by deasine

Interesting to note that this was located at the station platform and not the street. Really makes me wonder why was she on the tracks anyway. One thing's for sure, no one's going to be an idiot and not pay attention and walk into the SkyTrain guideway tracks =P

Well at least not unless they want to get hit

[cabotp]

Originally Posted by mr.x

One thing I don't understand is how there's an alternate RRT option that starts at Commercial and Broadway...that makes zero sense.

It doesn't make sense now because VCC-Clark is already built.

They might be thinking of having a Branch just after Commercial. One line goes right under Broadway to go to UBC. The other would go to VCC-Clark and then possibly to Finning and just end there. Not that I support this